Method of and apparatus for the manufacture of producer-gas.



L. E. HIRT. METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOB- THE MNUFAQTRB 0F PRODUCER GAS.

APPLIGATION FILED PEB. 25, 1913.

i y 355 23 o Patented Mar. 2, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E s s :gaucin-Vala #i UID@ L. Hm. METHOD op AND APPARATUS ron THB MANUFAGTURE oF PRODUCER GAS.

l APPLICATION FILED TBB.,2'5, 1913.

- Patented Mar.2,1915.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

INVENTR wrmezsSEs LEON n. mar, or PITTSBURGH, Penitsvtvanra.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MNUFCTURE OF PRODUCER-GAS.

Specification of Letters Extent.

lPatented Mar. 2, i915@ Application filed February 25, 1913i Serial No. 750,506.

To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, LnoN E. Hinfr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful mprovement in Methods of and Ape,paratus for the Manufacture of Producer- Gas, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whieh- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a gas producer unit embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 111-111 of Fig. 1; Fig-4 is a cross section of the reduction passage or conduit; Fig. 5 is a View similar-to Fig. 1, but showing a modification; Fig. 6 is a section on the irregular line VI*VI of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a cross section of the reduction passage or conduit of Figs. 5 and 6. I i

My invention has relation to the manufacture of producer gas and is more especially designed to provide a method of and apparatus for the-manufacturer of such gas from .crude oil, although my invention may also beused to good-advantage in the'manufacture of gas from pulverized coal, lignite, iron pyrites, and other carbonaceous material.

My invention provides'a` method and apparatus whereby a superior quality of gas may be manufactured at a relatively low cost of opera tion.

It also provides gas producer units of compact form and of relatively inexpensive construction. j

The nature of my invention Will be 4best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which Will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made bothin the details of the apparatus and the details of the method, Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims. l

Referring first to that form of my invention which is shown in Figs. 1 to 1, inclusive, the numeral. 2 designates the outer metal shell of a gas producer unit, the shell being shown as of cylinder form.' 3 designates the combustion chamber of the unit'which is formed within the refractory walls 4, built within the shell 5 designates an oil burner of the injector type, which is ar Vl-ranged to inject oil and steam into the combustion chamber 3. This burner may be, in general, of any suitable character to inject theoil in ccmminuted or .spray form into the combustion chamber. 6 designates air inlet openings, the area of-Which may be controlled by a suitable adjustable damper 7. The upperportion of the combustion lchamber is preferably contracted by stepping in the sidewalls thereof, as indicated at 8, and above this contracted portion the upper portion of the chamber is preferably expanded laterallyv by stepping out the side Walls, as indicated at 9. rlhis expansion of the upper portion o f the combustion chamber is preferably suilicient to permit of a very considerable increase .in the volume of the products of combustion. In practice, I have found it advisable to permitthe gases to expand in this -portion of theehamber to a volume some three or four times their initial volume. The extreme upper portion of the chamber is again contracted in the direction of the length of the unit by stepping in the walls, as indicated at 10, this iii-stepping being opposite the rear end of a contracted passage 11. Thisvpassage 11 opens at its forward end intoanother expansion chamber 12. The area of this chamber 12 is suiiicient to permit of another large'expansion in thevolume of the gases. In practice, have obtained goed results by making the chamber 12 of a size to permit the gases to expand to a volume some ten or twelve times their initial volume. The numeral 13 is an outlet opening in the forward Wall of the chamber 12, which communicates with an elongated reduction passage or conduit 14, extending longitudinally of the unit and out through the forward end thereof. This passa gc or conduitis'of a relatively small cross sectional area, but is of very considerable length. The forward end of this conduit opens into a vertical discharge nozzle 15 which may be of any suitable ejector type, such as aKoerting nozzle, and containing a steam jet 16. The nozzle 15 extends downvtvardly into'the Water tank 17, into which it discharges below the surface of the Water, the gas escaping through the outlet 18, leading to the usual Washer. The space Within the unit aro-und the refractory brickwork containing combustion chamber 3, expansion chamber 12 and the reduction passage or conduit 1.4, may be filled with asuitable material, such as cinder, as indicated at 19. 20

designates a sightA hole opening into the 'upper part of the combustion chamber 3.

The operation is as follows: The soil is sprayed into the lower portion of the coinbustion chamber 3, the burner 5 being preferably directed'vto cause a discharge at an upward angle. The combined spray of oil and steam impinges lagainst the opposite -wall of the chamber 3, resulting in the breaking up of the oil. rlhe combustion at once takes place, the products of combustion l rising between the contracting walls 8, the steps or oifsets of which serve to impart a more or less swirling movement. rllhis results'in a .better mixing of the gases. These ,gases pass into the enlarged intermediate portion of thecombustion chamber where a sudden expansion takes place, resulting in a still further commingling and mixing thereof. rhe gases are again contracted in passing through the extreme upper portion of the combustion chamber and through the conduit 11. lllscaping from this conduit 1]. into the chamber 12, a second expansion occurs with increased velocity, whereby the gases are caused to impinge against the walls of the chamber and a urthermixing and commingling takes place. The gases then pass into and through the reduction passage or conduit 14:. The Cnlln+2 compounds present in these gases causes a constent deposit of carbon upon the walls of this passage which are maintained at a very high heat by the gases passing therethrough. v

This temperature is preferably not less than 600.o C. This carbon, which is in a more or less incandescent state, actsl to reduce the carbon dioxid (CO5) passing through the conduit to carbon monoxid (CO). |llhe provision of the surrounding body of heat-in sulating material, such as indicated at .19, greatly :facilitates the maintenance of Athe propeijztemperature in the reduction passage or conduit, as well as a practically uniform temperature throughout its length. This passage or tube is substantially horizontal, although preferably slightly inclined downwardly toward its discharge end. l have discovered that a much better contact of the gases with the carbon deposited on the walls of the tube can be obtained in a.l

substantially horizontal passage than is poslsible in a vertical passage. As the gases are discharged 'from the forward end ot the conduit 14, they are met by the steam from the jet 16 and ,act upon this steam to decompose it withithe accompanying formation of l hydrogen and carbon monoxid. The gases then'pass through the wash box or tank 17, thence to the outlet 18.

' The producer-,may be operated either upon a pressure or suction system. The provision vot the elongated conduit r passage 14 of contracted cross sectional .area constitutes an important feature of' my invention,

nasce ia each unit volume of gas will be retained in the producer, before escaping from the passage 1st, at least three seconds, 'although this time may be increased. The provision of this elongated contracted passage insures an intimate contact between the gases and the. walls of the passage, whereby a mani mum reduction of carbon dioXid is effected and the gasesvbecorne thoroughly xed. ln the larger sizes of units, instead of increasing the cross sectional area of the passage 1t to the extent which would be necessary in order to enable it to carry oil the gases ,with suilicient rapidity, l prc"erably provide two or more of these passages arranged side by side, as shown at 14a, in Figs. 6 and 7, ln this manner, each of the passages may be kept of proper size to give the desired wall or contact area in. proportion to the volume ot' gas passing therethrough.

My invention is also capable ot use to advantage ih the manufacture of producer gas `from comminuted solid fuel, such as.

pulvcrized coal. Some slight changes'are, however. advisable in the construction of the producer units, when this kind of fuel is employed. Such modilications are illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. ln these figures,

corresponding parts are given the same ref-A erence characters as in Figs. 1 to 4, inclu-v sive, with the letter a appl1ed. The com' bustion chamber 3 is preferably of circular form and the comminuted Jruel is injected into this chamber, preferably under air pressure through the tangentially directed inlet opening 2].. The bottom of the combustion chamber is also preferably providedl and.

with an ash-collecting hopper 22, ash-discharge opening 22, for the purpose of collecting and removing any ash or slag J which may/be formed in this chamber. A similar ash-'collecting hopper `23, having an ashdischarge 2t, is also provided-'in the bottom of the expansion chamber 12, for the purpose of collecting and removing the ashes a which may be carried over withv the gases inthe form of dust. -Plhe top Wall of the combustion chamber is also shown as having a normally closed opening 25, through which waste or other combustible may be r introduced into/said chamber for vthe purpose of starting-combustion. `/lith, these.

exceptions,the construction of the producer unit and lts method of operation is the same asin the vform iirst described. By regula-t- 'd csi red limits.

lMy invention provides a veryedective 'Miti method by which a superior quality of gas may be produced either from crude oil or from cemminuted solid fuel. The carbon deposited by the gases in passing through the producer is utilized for the reduction of carbon dionid, and the producer chambers and passages are prevented from clogging; up with lamp black and other lcarbon de ,ws ,v posits.

',ascs a second time My invention also provides a producer unit which may be constructed and mainn tained at relatively lowcost, which may be made ot' any desired capaclty, and which is oit compact form.

l claim:

l. yThe method or making producer gas, consisting in injecting fuel in comminuted Jform by means of steam into a combustion chamber, supplying air thereto and burning the same iliassing' the products oitv combustion through a contracted passage into an expansion chamber, then passing` the panded products into a reduction tube in contact with incandescent carbon on the walls thereof, and then injecting steam into gases, substantially as described.

'the method oi? making producer gas, consistine in injecting 'fuel in conm'iinuted form by means of steam into a combustion chamber, supplying' air thereto and burning the same passing products oi' con'ibustion through a contracted passage into an expansion chamber, expandingA the products there- 4in to at least uve-times their initial. volume,

B then passing the expanded products into a 'consisting in atornizing oil by steam injector reduction tulre in contact with incandescent carbon on the walls thereof, and then injecting' steam into said gases, substantially as described.

3. 'ihe method of making producer gras, consisting;- in injecting,` fuel in coruluinuted torni by means oit steam into a combustion rchamber, supplying air thereto and burning);

the same passino; the products of combustion through a contacted passage into a n expansion chamber, then passingthe products through a contracted passageway into another expansion chamber, expanding the gases a second time therein, and then passing them through a, reducingchannel of rolativel-y small area in contact with incandescent carbon on the walls tiicreo",l substantiaily as described.

et. ihe method oit making producer gas, consi' in;r in injecting 'fuel in comminutcd ioriu by means oi' steam 'i o a combustion chamber`- supplying' air thereto and burning the sanu passinol through u contr: sion chamber, through. a contract other expanstfin to an cf-:i'iar The prod cts 'aff inte anling the therein, then' passing them through a reducing' channel of relati\ely"sniail arca in contact with 1ncandescent carbon on the Wallsthereof, and thenv injecting steam into said gases, substantially as described. y

5. The method of making producer gas,

action within a combustion chamber, supplying air. thereto and burning the'same passing' the precincts through a contracted channel into an expansion chamber, expanding the gases therein, and then feeding them through a reducing tube of relatively small area and in contact with incandescent car-- bon on the Walls thereof, and then introducing; steam into said products, substantially as described. i

(3. The method of making producer gas, consisting in injecting fuel in comminuted form by means of steam into a combustion chamber, supplying air thereto and burning the same passingn the products of combustion through a contracted passage into an expansion. chamber, then passing the expanded products into a reduction tube in Contact with incandescent carbon on the walls thereol", then injcctino steam into said gases, and subjecting` the apparatus to such artificial draltthat the flow of gas through the apparatus occupies not less than three seconds, substantially as described. 7. A gas producer comprising a combustion chainier, means for introducing fuel in coi'nminuted form into said chamber and for, thoroughly mixing the same With steam, the producer having a contracted passage lead* ing from the combustion chamber and conuccted to an expansion chamber ci relatively large volume, an elongated reducing'passage leading outwardly from the expansion chamber and adapted to be maintained at a', relatively high temperature, and means :tor

l sa

introducing a further quantity of steam into the gases after they have passed through at least a. portion of the reducing` passage, subn atantially as described.

8. A gas producer comprising,- a combustion chamber, means for introducing'fuel in comminuted form into said chamber andfor thoroughly mixing the same with steannthe producer having a contracted passage leading' upwardly 'from the combustion chamber, an expansion chamber into which said passage opens, a second expansion chamber coniuected with the first expansion chamber by'l another contracted passage, and a. relatively longv reduction passage opening out ofthe last namedexpansion chamber, said chamx bers and passages being; arrangcdto give two relatively largesuceessive 'expansions to the before they enter the reduction passage, substantially as described.

il. ras producerA comprising a combustion chamber; means for introducing fuel in manruinuted form into said chamber and *for thoroughly mixing the same with steam, the producer having a contracted passage leaddpans, a, second el L fmson cmmbe'r com stantnly as {Lesczb M6596. with rsi; fsxpanson chamber by En tesimony Wsuo have heeuflizc 5 another contracei. passage, and a relatively myhzmd.

long mduf' @planing Oui of the TWO" 4 MEET as e L auson-dmmber, cham- FU J 'A J" .C 'l .W figs before wey enter th@ reduction H. mmmmm. 

